Jos-based Team Techvibe has emerged as the unbelievable winner of the fourth edition of the annual NCC Tennis League, Nigeria Tennis Live can authoritatively report.
The team consisting of Nigeria’s most in form tennis star, Joseph Imeh, Former national champion, Thomas Otu and one of Nigeria’s consistent female players, Anu Aiyegbusi, shocked Kaduna-based Team Offikwu to emerge as the surprise package of this year’s edition of the competition which final was played at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos, on Sunday, 9 December, 2019.
Otu reportedly came from a set down to win the fourth match that ensured that Techvibe emerged as the fourth team to win the tournament organized by the Godwin Kienka-led International Tennis Academy (ITA). No team has successfully defended the title.
The former CBN Open winner dashed the hopes of the Kaduna-based Team Offikwu who trailed 0-3 from the previous day and appeared to be plotting a comeback. Their cause was further deflated after Paul suffered an injury while leading 6-2, 4-2.
But the power playing former Dala Hard Court champion took full advantage to win 2-6, 6-4, 10-8.
The Jos-based team had all but wrapped up the tie on the opening Saturday when national champion Joseph Imeh beat Paul 6-3, 6-1 and Otu took advantage of a bereaved Sylvester Emmanuel, the national No. 2, to win in straight sets. Aanu Aiyegbusi extended her four-year unbeaten run in the league by upsetting, in every sense of the word, Christie Agugbom 6-4, 7-5.
The champions got a handsome jackpot of N7, 000, 000 while Team Offikwu got the runner-up prize of N5, 000, 000. Team Leadway Assurance finished third and bagged N3, 000, 000 while fourth-place finishers, Team Goshen of Ilorin went home with N2, 000, 000.